New Minnesota Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care
Wildfires can generate enormous amounts of smoke that produce poor air quality for Minnesota, which can make air unhealthy and harm people, including those with asthma, heart or lung disease, older adults, and children. While air pollution affects everyone, children and youth are particularly vulnerable because their bodies are still developing, and they breathe in more air than adults for their body weight.
MDH created the Minnesota Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care in a collaborative effort to work alongside schools and child care facilities statewide. The goal of this outdoor air guidance is to lower the risk of negative impacts to children’s health due to poor air quality events.
The provided recommendations are to help schools and child care staff determine when and how to adjust outdoor physical activities when air quality starts to reach unhealthy levels.
This guidance is optional. Schools and child care centers can use it as a tool when making decisions around balancing healthy outdoor activities that keep children active against the potential harms of poor air quality.
Who is this guidance for?
This guidance is intended for professionals, providers, and others working with children in schools (K-12, public, private, charter, tribal, etc.) and various child care facilities (day care, day camps, after school/summer programs, etc.).
Download the Minnesota Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care (PDF)
Questions?
Contact the MDH Asthma Program:
health...@state.mn.us | 651-201-5909 | www.health.state.mn.us/asthma
|
